Lead Instrumentation & Controls Engineer 1 - Nuclear

Sargent & Lundy•Chicago, IL

10d•$118,023 - $180,313•Hybrid

About The Position

This role offers a hybrid work arrangement, with three days a week in the office and two days remote. Nuclear Power is a carbon-free energy source, and our clients are digitizing existing plants and building new ones, including small modular reactors (SMRs), due to increasing demand for electric power. This has led to an expansion in our Instrumentation and Controls Engineering group. Sargent & Lundy has a need for additional I&C Engineers to work on upgrading and modernizing nuclear power plants with the latest control technologies. In this position, you will lead and support small and large controls projects, focusing on technical execution and effective Project Management. Projects will require coordination with mechanical, electrical, and structural disciplines. Your work will involve investigating, troubleshooting, and resolving a wide variety of controls engineering issues, including developing digital systems design (PLC, DCS, Touchscreens, network switches, control systems), preparing control system requirements and procurement specifications, interfacing with clients, preparing and reviewing technical reports, managing resources and developing estimates, supporting proposal development, preparing and reviewing diagrams and drawings, evaluating vendor bids, interfacing with vendors for document reviews and FAT performance, and supporting project implementation at client facilities.

Requirements

BS or MS in Electrical, Mechanical, Chemical, or Nuclear Engineering from an ABET accredited program.
10 or more years of experience in I&C Design Engineering.
Ability to clearly communicate both in speech and written formats.
Technically knowledgeable of available equipment and proven pre-engineered systems to execute systems design.
Experience with serving as the firm's client liaison in a support or lead engineering role.
Experience in reviewing design documentation.

Nice To Haves

Professional Engineering license is preferred.
Additional learning, such as a minor, certificate, or other experience in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Software Engineering, or related fields that enables effective oversight of automation and agentic AI-enabled engineering workflows.
Overseeing engineers who program or script (e.g., Python, MATLAB, advanced Excel) to automate engineering tasks, with review of automated outputs, is valued but not required.

Responsibilities

Develop Digital Systems Design -- PLC, DCS, Touchscreens, network switches and control systems.
Prepare control system functional and implementation requirements and procurement specifications for nuclear plant control systems.
Interface with the client to ensure proper project execution and client satisfaction.
Prepare and review technical reports, calculations, and studies to present information in a clear and concise manner to meet client requirements.
Manage resources/resource loading and develop estimates for task completion and budget development.
Support the development of proposals.
Prepare and review diagrams and drawings for new and upgraded controls solutions.
Evaluate vendor bids from a technical perspective.
Interface with vendors to perform document reviews, ensure equipment compliance with specifications and needs of the plant, and witness FAT performance on behalf of the client.
Support implementation of the project at the client’s facilities.
Lead others in taking engineering problems from issue to solution by setting expectations for using data and modern tools such as automation and AI to improve workflows, reduce rework, and deliver cost-effective designs.
Direct automation and process-improvement work, for example, how teams automate calculations, summarize technical documents, or generate design documentation and guiding when and how AI or agentic AI tools are used while ensuring results are checked.
Oversee engineers who program or script (e.g., Python, MATLAB, advanced Excel) to automate engineering tasks, with review of automated outputs.